A Loss, a Gain, and a Transformation
by DreamReality
Summary: When Piper and Leo's relationship is suffering, Kain, an upperlevel demon goes after their son Chris. If they don't do things right, more will be lost in the end, along with the fate of magic. Read my Charmed short story! (PS:This is a sad storyangst)


Disclaimer-I never saw the point in these. Cuz no, I don't own charmed, or any of these characters so far. They are all based on the WB tv show, "Charmed"

Dim rays of sunlight invited themselves through the colourful windows of the manor. Piper sat quietly with the paper in her right hand, a soft yellow mug in the other, giving off the bittersweet aroma of coffee as the sun continued to rise. It was early, too early. She should have been sleeping at such a unearthly hour, but the past few nights with little Chris had been draining to her, a draining she'd never experienced with Wyatt.

Wyatt? A maternal panic temporarily came over her. _Wyatt??_ She thought silently to herself, for a moment thinking she'd lost track of where he was. A sudden relief consumed her when she doltishly remembered he was still asleep upstairs.

Her eyes danced across the room, watching the shadows morph with every moment the sun rose higher in the sky. The paper, she set now on the table before her, as it was no longer entertaining to her. The faint ticks and tocks of the clock reminded her now that it was getting late, and her sisters should be waking up soon.

Pushing her weight off of the chair, she walked sluggishly to the sink, placing the empty mug within it, the light rub on her eyes made it obvious she was exhausted, and the pale glow of her skin expressed her lack of energy as well.

A breif faint sound came from the livingroom. Maybe it was Phoebe getting ready for work? No probably not. She didn't quite care at the moment, though she thought it best she should go check.

While in the process of pulling her hair up to a messy ponytail, she headed towards the doorway, the only sound she could here now was the soft swoosh of her pale blue pajamas gliding over the floor with every step.

She turned the corner and there he was. His soft blue eyes found hers immediately, along with his seraphically innocent expression. The look instantly reminded her that it was one of the first things she'd noticed and loved about him. The light shade of his hair complemented his tanned skin as he awkwardly returned her gaze.

Her cheeks almost flushed slightly when she noticed she'd forgotten to speak. It was natural I guess, she just didn't expect to see him there, so early, and so random. He must have felt her surprise because the first thing he spoke was an explanation.

"Sorry, if this..is a bad time, but, there's someone after Chris."He spoke quite bluntly, considering his awkward lack of greeting.

Piper didn't seem at all phased by this. There was always someone after their kids wasn't there?

"No it's not a bad time," Of course it was always a bad time for someone to be after her child.. _"I'm great Leo, how are you?" _ She thought sarcastically to herself, but was also too consumed with leo's comment to bother with it, "Who's after Chris?" Her voice came worried yes, but the drained, unaffected tone was dominant, as she folded her arms glancing away from him, waiting a response.

"Oh, Kain, an upper level demon. He's after Chris either to get to the charmed ones, or possibly even Wyatt" He must have been well in thought, because his voice sounded almost surprised by the question.

He acted like nothing had ever gone on between them. Like they didn't share two children, that he was simply a whitelighter, and her a witch. The way he plainly referred to them as 'the charmed ones' pained her. But, she knew it was unintentional, and that she should have let go of this a long time ago. She noticed he was waiting a response again, so she carelessly gave it to him.

"Ok, we'll get started then." She was obviously not excited about any form of 'demon business', but oh well, it was just the way her life worked.

A moment or two of silence dragged by, she awkwardly sent glances around the room while he pretty much mirrored her actions, not knowing what to do himself.

"So.." His voice broke through the silence, "..how is everything?"

"Everything's....fine" Ya right. You could tell just by looking at her she was drained.

"No Piper really..how is everything?" He was suddenly getting more personal, and she didn't like it. Wasn't this what she'd wanted him to do just moments earlier?

"Chris keeps me up. Wyatt doesn't get enough attention. Paige does what she can, but it's not enough..I'm not enough" That was about as blunt as she could be. But, she said it so casually, her true feelings were still hidden somewhere, so deep many times she was unsure of them.

"Piper I–"He started to say something when both of them looked towards the stairs to see the two missing sisters loudly coming down the stairwell, talking about something.

"Oh you loved it!" Phoebe laughed as Paige followed her down the stairs laughing as well.

"Did not!" She joked, "It was an ugly sweater" she still chuckled out loud.

What they were talking about, Piper wasn't entirely sure, but it was amusing to listen to them.

Even through the previous awkward situation, she was still curious as to what Leo was beginning to say.

Phoebe stopped short on her way to the kitchen, Paige doing the same wondering why. Phoebe smiled slightly seeing her sister and brother in law in the other room.

"Hey Leo" She obviously was wondering what was going on. Piper she saw everyday, but Leo she specifically greeted. Leo returned her greeting with a nod and a half smile. Paige did the same, only to reap the same response.

Piper also smiled slightly, as she brushed a few loose strands of hair that had carelessly gotten in the way of her vision. For some reason she felt like there should be an explanation for Leo's presence, so she started to give it.

"Apparently there's some demon named Kain after Chris, an upper le–"she was cutoff by a loud sharp thump from upstairs.

"What was that?" Paige asked only for her own sake, obviously no one knew, and the four of them were already on their way upstairs anyway.

Piper and Leo got ahead of the other sisters, and burst through the door of the nursery. Nothing. No demons. No Chris.

"Oh my god. Leo!" Piper's hands were shaking as she stared at the empty basinet.

Leo's eyes clouded and without hesitation, he orbed.


End file.
